


The First Flush Of Love

by Esperata



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Decon, Humor, Kissing, Light Massage, M/M, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 13:55:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13882269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esperata/pseuds/Esperata
Summary: After a tiring away mission, Trip is more than ready to unwind with Malcolm in decon.





	The First Flush Of Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StellarLibraryLady](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellarLibraryLady/gifts).



> StellarLibraryLady, I know this isn't your fandom but you'll recognise your influence here.

They were all beat.

The simple scientific exploration mission had turned into a farce when Porthos had given chase to the planet’s equivalent of a rodent and three of the senior staff had barrelled after him. It had taken Archer, Tucker and Reed over an hour before they managed to corner the beagle. As Malcolm pointed out in the shuttle back to _Enterprise_ , they’d have caught him quicker if the others had listened to the tactical officer to begin with.

Now, sat in decon, Trip let the tension begin to fade. Everything was alright now. The science team had got what they wanted done while the bridge officers had played chase-the-dog and Porthos was seemingly quite happy after his playtime.

He let out a sigh, quite content to sit with eyes closed and rest, before a strong hand ran across his shoulder causing Trip to arch into the touch. Another hand joined the first and began to massage gel into rigid muscles. The remaining tension melted away under the firm pressure and a smile curved at his lips.

He felt the muscles loosen and relax as determined hands moved systematically and with determination over his skin. The strokes became more sensuous and languid as the hands moved from broad shoulder down the spine and rubbed around the lower back. Trip’s breath caught slightly as gel-slicked fingers wandered under the edges of his blues.

Then the touch was gone.

“Get my back?”

Trip opened his eyes to see Malcolm stood bare chested before him, a pot of Phlox’s decon gel in one hand and a teasing look in his eyes.

“Sure,” he drawled as he forced himself to stand. For a brief moment they were chest to chest and Trip could feel the Brit’s breath ghosting over his neck. Then Malcolm performed an about turn and Trip was left with just the sight of his back.

His pale, slender, tensile back. On an instinct the engineer leant in and placed a chaste kiss to the back of the man’s neck. He swiftly followed the action with a pass of his gel coated hand, running it lovingly over the familiar skin. The feeling of Malcolm’s muscles tensing and relaxing under his guidance reminded him of playing the harmonica.

The fact that he was the only one Malcolm would allow to touch him so tenderly made Trip’s heart swell with affection and he revelled in tracing intricate patterns with his fingertips, lingering over the vertebra.

When his hands came automatically to rest on Malcolm’s waist however, he felt his heart thrum suddenly.

Before he could process that idea though, the Englishman spun in his grip and laid his own hands on Trip’s shoulders.

“Need help with your front?” the lieutenant offered. Trip found himself unable to speak momentarily, lost as he was in those eyes glowing iridescently with the blue light, but he managed a jerky nod.

Malcolm then focused his gaze on the expanse of chest before him and began diligently caressing his palms over it. After a second to pull himself together, Trip reciprocated, leisurely dragging his hands up and down the body before him.

The air between them was heating if their racing pulses was any indication and the oxygen content must have been dropping as they found themselves increasingly short of breath.

Didn’t it make sense then to share what oxygen they did have?

Trip couldn’t say who moved but concluded it must have been both of them as he met Malcolm’s lips tilted up to him. The kiss wasn’t frantic, but caressing and gentle, each willing to give their last breath to the other.

They pulled away, content that there’d be more opportunities to explore, and Trip focused once more on the light shining from Malcolm’s eyes. The blue illumination really made them glow.

“If you’re quite finished…”

The voice startled both men back to reality and they looked with surprise to their commanding officer. Jonathan Archer was sat on the bench, a slippery Porthos cradled on his lap and a highly amused expression on his face. Malcolm blushed violently and ducked his head into the only available hiding place – the hollow of Trip’s neck.

Trip wrapped his arms protectively around the Englishman and smiled lazily at his friend.

“Sorry, Jon. Kinda forgot ya were there.”

“So I gathered. Now, I wondered if one of you might get my back? I’d rather not be kept behind when Phlox returns.”

“Of course Sir.” Malcolm pulled himself upright and Trip let his arms drop away. As the Armoury Officer marched round to his captain’s back, Trip followed sedately. When Malcolm picked up the gel pot though, Trip laid one hand over his and pressed the other to his lips in a ‘keep quiet’ gesture.

In front of them, Archer was continuing obliviously.

“I think you should be grateful I was here actually. I’m sure neither of you particularly wanted give our Denobulan doctor the chance to study human mating rituals.”

He laughed in amusement at his own humour. Out of sight behind him, his Chief Engineer was scooping up almost the entire pot full of gel. Malcolm’s eyes widened but he couldn’t stop his own lips quirking into a smile.

“Although,” Archer continued, “perhaps you wou-ARGH!”

He jumped up as the glob of cold gel slapped against his spine, Porthos leaping to safety with an aggrieved look.

“What the hell!”

Trip was doubled over laughing so Archer focused his exasperation on Malcolm.

“Is that any way for you to treat your superior officer?” he asked.

“Technically Sir, Commander Tucker is my superior officer too. Far be it from me to counteract his ideas.”

Between Malcolm’s shining eyes and Tucker’s contagious laughter, Jon couldn’t maintain any sort of anger at them and he grinned.

“Your face!” Trip choked out. “Surprised as all get out.”

Jon joined in with Trip’s chuckles, noting the relaxation of Malcolm’s shoulders and the fond smile that graced his lips as he watched the Floridan.

“Gentlemen?” Phlox’s cheerful tone interrupted through the intercom. “You’ll be pleased to know your captivity is at an end.”

“Thank you Doctor,” Archer replied before gathering up his dog once more. He turned to look questioningly at the other two. “Unless you’d rather stay in here?”

“Not likely.” Malcolm sniffed. “There’s a shower in my quarters with my name on it.”

Trip slunk closer and wrapped an arm about his lover’s waist.

“Got room fer one more?”

Malcolm glanced at him speculatively as they finally stepped out of the room.

“I might be persuaded,” he conceded.

Archer watched them go with a fond shake of the head. He was happy for them, but he was even happier not to have to watch them caught up in each other any longer. All that affection could grate a little when all you had for company was a beagle. Even if he was a very loving beagle.

Still he mused, the honeymoon period couldn’t last forever… even if it had been going on approximately six years now with no sign of fading.

He sighed.

Maybe he should look Danica up when they got back to Earth. He smirked. Turnabout was fair play after all.

With a whistle he set off for his own quarters to make plans for a partnership of his own.


End file.
